Syracuse’s star cornerback Garrett Williams only needed to post two words to clear the air on his future with Syracuse on Friday: ‘I’m Back’. Williams is now the second NFL Draft-hopeful to announce their return to Syracuse, joining first-team all-ACC linebacker Mikel Jones.
Williams, who burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2020, just completed his second year starting at cornerback for the Orange and his third season with the team (he redshirted in 2019). He tallied 52 tackles and 5 tackles for loss, which led all Syracuse defensive backs. His 10 pass breakups led the ACC for the second consecutive year, despite missing 2 games.
Jones’ and Williams’ commitment to stay with the Orange as opposed to entering the draft is huge news for defensive coordinator Tony White. Syracuse will be losing their entire starting defensive line, so retaining other defensive cornerstones has been crucial. The Syracuse defense, which ranked 21st in the nation in yards per game, is now projected to return eight of eleven starters after Williams’ announcement. White will once again have one of the best starting cornerback tandems in the ACC in Williams and Duce Chestnut, who have both earned freshman All-American honors in their career. While Williams certainly has an NFL future ahead of him, for 2022, he’ll remain in orange.
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